Product Review: Maybelline Limited Edition Color Tattoos Summer 2013

Maybelline New York’s Color Tattoo by Eye Studio 24-hour Eyeshadows have been a huge hit since they were first released and their limited edition releases are especially popular. Their newest limited edition release consists of eight new, frosty, duo tone colors for summer.

Maybelline’s Color Tattoos are long-wearing cream eyeshadows that set like a gel shadow or liner and claim to last, without creasing or fading, for up to 24 hours after application. They can be worn alone or used as a base beneath powder eyeshadows. The summer 2013 collection consists of eight frosty, metallic, cool, duo tones. Like the rest of the Color Tattoos, they’re housed in a round, glass pot with a twist off lid.

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to track down an ingredients list for these shadows yet, but as soon as I’m able to get my hands on it, I’ll update this post.

The Review

Drugstore cosmetics have really been improving their products lately and Color Tattoos are a perfect example. Until these were released, you really couldn’t find long-wearing cream eyeshadows in the drugstore that set the way their high-end counterparts do. Now, Maybelline has solved that issue. The only downside is that cream shadows that set like gel products have to be applied and blended quickly because once they set, they won’t budge. At first I found this challenging, but after a little practice, it’s not a problem at all.

I would really prefer if these pots were less bulky, all the glass you can see when the lid is on is just extra packaging, there’s no product in it. They’re heaving and have some extra bulk making them less travel friendly; however, the thick glass means even if you drop them, they’re not likely to break. I also really like being able to reuse the pots once I’ve used all the product.

All eight of these shades are gorgeous, but a few in particular stand out for me. Seashore frosts is perhaps the most unique cream shadow I’ve ever seen. It’s a gorgeous dusty slate color, somewhere between green and blue. It appears more green when applied sheer, but more blue when built up to a more opaque coverage. The gold shift is gorgeous; it’s what really makes this color so unique.

Lavish Lavender is another favorite; it’s one of the darker colors in the collection and while purple and blue are a pretty typical pairing for duo tone shadows, they’re still gorgeous. The application was also great, it didn’t apply patchy at all.

Of all the shades, I think Precious Pearl is the most versatile. If you have fair skin and struggle to find highlight colors light enough to really be highlighting, your search is over. Precious Pearl is a perfect highlight beneath the brow bone, around the inner corner of the eyes, really brightens the eyelid area, and makes lashes appear longer and fuller when used as a highlight right in the middle of the eyelid. It can even be used lightly to highlight the cupid’s bow and cheekbones.

The Skinny

Overall, this is a great collection. A lot of these colors are a bit outside my comfort zone, but I love them. They feel creamy, apply nicely, allow you to either sheer them out or build up color, and have amazing lasting power. Price can vary quite a lot depending on where you shop, but since these are limited edition, if you want them, I’d say pounce on them wherever you find them! $5.94 at Walmart, Target; $6.99 at Walgreens, CVS, Ulta

Have you tried any of the permanent or limited edition Color Tattoos? What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!